Verse of the Day 1/4

Verse of the Day 1/4

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."   English Standard Version (ESV)

With the start of the new year I've started a new read through the New Testament plan,  the traditional one going straight through the New Testament.  Today's verse comes from that plan.  It is where, in Matthew's gospel, Jesus begins his earthly ministry as He begins to "establish His kingdom".  From here He will proceed to chapters 5 through 7 which deal with the sermon on the mount which gives us some of the most practical and challenging examples of how to life like Jesus and live the Christian life.

We have just come through a rough presidential election and while we do not have a king  or kingdom, we will have a new administration and there will be changes.  The inauguration is a few weeks away and already you can see some changes and indications  of  more changes to come.  When Christ establishes His kingdom in us, changes, repentance, turning will be involved.  The kingdom has to do with His reign.  If He is our "king" He should have reign over our hearts and lives and this reign will bring about change.

There will be:

• a change of allegiance - he deserves our honor, loyalty and obedience - His will be done (Matt. 6:10)
• a change of expectations - we will see that there is more  to this life than the pursuit of things, profits, bank accounts, His kingdom will last (6:13)
• a change of values - away from earthly "success", and independence to following Christ, the beatitudes Matt. 5:3-10
• a change in priorities - "the things in life will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace, we will have a new attitude towards things that rust vs. those that are eternal  Matt. 6:33
• a change in mission- the things that we set out to accomplish on a daily, monthly or yearly basis will be different, have a different focus, that of expanding His kingdom

I'll close with an old hymn that came to mind about His kingdom:

We've a story to tell to the nations, 
that shall turn their hearts to the right, 
a story of truth and mercy, 
a story of peace and light, 
a story of peace and light. 
Refrain: 
For the darkness shall turn to dawning, 
and the dawning to noonday bright; 
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth, 
the kingdom of love and light. 

We've a song to be sung to the nations, 
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord, 
a song that shall conquer evil 
and shatter the spear and sword, 
and shatter the spear and sword. 
(Refrain) 

 We've a message to give to the nations, 
that the Lord who reigneth above 
hath sent us his Son to save us, 
and show us that God is love, 
and show us that God is love. 
(Refrain) 

 We've a Savior to show to the nations, 
who the path of sorrow hath trod, 
that all of the world's great peoples 
might come to the truth of God, 
might come to the truth of God.

May His kingdom come, His will be done in our lives.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Matthew 4:17The Message (MSG)

Teaching and Healing

^12-17 When Jesus got word that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee. He moved from his hometown, Nazareth, to the lakeside village Capernaum, nestled at the base of the Zebulun and Naphtali hills. This move completed Isaiah's sermon:

Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
    road to the sea, over Jordan,
    Galilee, crossroads for the nations.
People sitting out their lives in the dark
    saw a huge light;
Sitting in that dark, dark country of death,
    they watched the sun come up.

This Isaiah-prophesied sermon came to life in Galilee the moment Jesus started preaching. He picked up where John left off: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here."